


Doing It Right

by NightfireRed



Category: Hollywood Undead (Band)
Genre: AU, AU of AU, Crack, messed up timelines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2015-05-20
Packaged: 2018-03-31 10:25:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3974635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightfireRed/pseuds/NightfireRed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if you got the chance to see the future?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doing It Right

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I`m apologizing in advance for this work. Basically, it`s a compilation of several fics and ideas not in its best form. Not spellchecked or beta`d.  
> Enjoy ~

It is the kind of feeling when you just know that something is wrong but can`t point out what exactly. Like the cool and sticky substance slowly enveloping your insides. Uneasiness, light nervousness and trembling fingers come along.

Aron doesn`t recall how he got here or what happened even an hour ago. Maybe sudden appearance in the hallway of Hollywood Undead`s studio should mean something or maybe it is one of his bandmates` usual pranks. He has to find it out. There is no sign of other people`s presence, the silence makes the effect more dramatic. The sliding glass doors open with quiet rustling and cool night air sends goosebumps across Aron`s skin. Beloved sleeveless shirts are not always the greatest item to wear.  
He looks around and sees familiar looking guy leaning against a car, nervously checking his phone nearly every ten seconds. 

-“Hey, uhhm, excuse me? I kind of have lost and apparently my cell is dead, so may I make one call, please?” 

The guy doesn’t react at all, just pulls the hood of his jacket further after particularly chilly gust of wind. 

-“Man, I`m talking to you, okay. If you are not into helping me out just say it.”

This sentence is left unnoticed too. Aron is already irritated enough because of the whole situation, let along this obviously deaf guy. Just as Aron is about to say something mean, the man raises his head and familiar pair of green eyes meet Aron`s. 

Jorel.

-“Dude, what the hell? Are you serious? It`s not funny, you prick. Let`s get outta here, I`m freezing,” wave of relief washes the emotional tension away, Aron jokingly punches Jorel`s shoulder and… nothing.  
His palm just comes through, like it belongs to some kind of a ghost. Aron yelps in surprise and jerks hand away as if he`s touched something hot, but Jay keeps on acting casually. 

_Am I dead or something? Hopefully not, must be one of the weird drugged dreams. This place looks vivid though. Probably need to stop mixing weed and booze._  
The sound of phone ringing startles Jorel and he almost drops gadget on the pavement. The voice in the cell is so loud that every word can be clearly heard by side listeners. Aron recognizes the voice. It belongs to Johnny, he sounds very tired. 

-“Got some minutes between shifts so you gotta be quick, man. Got something new?”  
-“Spent whole day near this hole. No signs of any activity, they all just disappeared. Not sure if we ever going to get all our money and songs back. Attorney also says there`s no trace of where they all could go. I think we should just drop it and search for the new label. This is the dead end,” Jorel rubs his eyes and Aron notices the dark circles and bags under them.  
-“We have no new tracks to impress labels with, besides those bastards got away with all of the rights for freshly recorded unreleased songs. We are playing with fire here…”  
-“So then we fucking have to get up and make some new music instead of wh…” cuts off Jorel and after calming down continues, “Sorry, man. No one saw that coming, right? Fuck labels, we can record in garage if we want. Won`t make any difference anyway.”  
-“It should be you to notify Aron that we are out of this game… He trusts you more than all of us combined and chances he won`t kill you are higher,” bitterly chuckles Johnny.  
-“Those tracks… They are mostly his. And now he`ll never perform them. He doesn`t deserve this.”  
-“No one does. Toss bromantic stuff aside and think about others, about yourself, after all. We need money desperately and all this legal stuff does is only wasting it. Sooner we start working in new direction, sooner the overdue bills stop coming. I know you don`t want him hurt, but it has to be done. He`s a big boy, should understand that sometimes world isn`t turning only around him.”  
-“George?”  
-“Yeah?”  
-“You won`t leave me, right? Leave one on one with this?”  
-“Jay, you know that whatever happens, I always got your back. And pretty sure other guys do, too. We`re Undead, remember? Nothing can tear us apart. And for now - go home and get some sleep. Tell Aron tomorrow, right? I`ve got to go, my shift`s starting. Goodnight, man. It`ll be okay.”  
-“I hope so. Night, George. See you,” Jorel ends the call and shakily breathes out. 

Aron is not sure whether it`s surrealistic dream or messed up reality. 

_What the actual fuck has just happened? We released the Swan Songs like six months ago. People adore us, we`re performing in front of huge crowds of fans, our tracks are rotated on the radio. And what about this? It just can`t be real. Legal problems with the recording label? Pfft, bullshit. We are rich as never before. And have solid contract for couple of more albums to come. Thanks to our breakthrough debut, better than anyone expected. Please, I want to wake up. Come on! Home, home, home. Pleeease._

Aron hops into the vehicle on the passenger seat beside Jorel, who is still oblivious of the company. 

_Why is he driving this beaten up trash? Where is his fancy car we picked up together the month ago?_

Jorel`s blankly staring through the windscreen, his face emotionless. Aron can`t resist and very gently brushes fingertips against Jorel`s cheekbone. Still nothing. 

_Does he even eat and sleep? All face features look sharper. Hell, even I`m fatter now than he is. This place is so weird. Got to wake up. I don`t want to be here. I want to wake up happy, famous and rich as fuck._

Then pile of white envelopes with red stamps on catches Aron`s eye. Most of them are overdue payments and bills. 

_Whoa, Jay is always such a freak when it comes to legal papers. Even on hardest days he makes sure that there are no active debts and all the required payments are made._

But it`s not what makes Aron`s blood chill in his veins. The date on the envelopes. It`s 2015. 

-“Fuck that!” screams Jorel at the top of his lungs and slams palms against the steering wheel. 

“_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”

 

Aron cracks his eyes open and the surroundings by no means can be called his home. He`s in some sort of a small apartment, unfamiliar and pretty poorly furnished. The place reminds him of the days long before Hollywood Undead when the life wasn`t particularly easy.  
He is lying on the floor near wide opened window with merciless Californian sun shining right in his face. 

_You`ve got to be kidding me…_

At least now he is not alone. Muffled voices can be heard through thin walls. It`s obvious that huge fight is in progress right next door. Literally next door.  
Aron cautiously opens the door leading to the room nearby and freezes. 

He sees himself in the flesh vigorously waving hands and screaming at Jorel, whose knuckles are white with stains of dried blood and grazed skin. Like in previous leap to the future he`s still invisible. This time Aron is thankful for that.  
Many people would eagerly pay enormous amounts of money to get the opportunity Aron is now having. Feel free to do some crazy mindblowing stuff– no one will ever know it is you.  
Except sometimes such whishes should better be left unfulfilled. 

-“…This is MY band, MY project. You all should be fucking thankful I saved you all from the misery and accepted to the Undead crew! And it`s definitely not up to YOU or George to decide whether it should stop its existence. I will never let ruin what I`ve created, you hear me? Never!”  
_Oh does my voice really sound that hysterical when I`m mad? Man, what happened to us? We look like some junkies ambushed us and kicked the crap out of our bodies._

-“Ruin? Do you even hear the bullshit you say? You are so overprotecting and greedy. Aron, open your eyes already! We need help desperately, but thanks to your stubbornness no one is looking forward to even take a glance in our direction. The last person genuinely trying to save our band was Danny! Even his angelic patience is over.”

-“Here we go again. Danny this, Danny that blah blah blah… He`s a fame hungry whore. His own band turned into ashes and he crawled to us looking for popularity and money. How could you all be that blind not to notice that?”  
_Major shit happened if we`re fighting like that. Danny… why does the name sound so familiar? Exactly, Danny the backup singer. He`s just a guy we`ve been hanging out with for the last couple of years. No one particularly important, right?_

-“Aron, I know we promised to always be by each other`s side…” Jorel`s voice is very uneven, seems like he`s about to commit the most awful act in history, “And you are still my friend. But for now I should act like an adult. I`m leaving the band. But I`m not leaving you. Maybe someday when you realize you were wrong all this time… Aron. I`ve talked with the others… They also don`t see the reasons to keep on going as one team professionally wise. We have families to take care of, we need proper jobs and enough money to cover at least current expenses. The band was the greatest time of our teen years, but look around. Is THIS the life we`ve been dreaming about in the very beginning?” tears are obvious in Jorel`s eyes and to invisible Aron it is heartbreaking to see his best friend hurt, especially when the reason of this drama is Aron himself.

-“You… Fucking can`t believe in that! We are at the top, dude! And you all decided to dump it all? Your bad, I`ll be even better without you all, losers. Don`t crawl back when the success happens. Because it would be my time of glory, not yours. Tell others the same. You all are not friends of mine, just a bunch of weak pathetic cowards. And you`ve always been that way. You all and that Danny,” Aron pushes Jorel towards the exit, “If you value that pretty looking whore of a man more than me, then go fuck him or something, just GO already!”

_Ouch, my ears. My screams do sound hysterical. Better not do that often. Wish I could make me shut the fuck up already. No one can insult my homies, wouldn`t hesitate to punch even myself for it._

-“If one and a half of failed album, endless actions of law and charges against the company which ran away with our songs and money, solitude and no proper day job is a success for you, then good luck. Maybe someday miracle happens and you will be cured from constant bitchy state. Time to be a man, Aron. Teenage days are over…” the door slams shut, Jorel is gone leaving both Arons to burst into tears. 

_How can you be such a moron, dude? It`s JAY, your everything. Jay motherfucking Dog. And you just made him and other guys leave? Leave the band? I know I`m not the sweetest person, but not to that extent.  
I want to go home. Where everything is great, we throw parties and just fool around._

Aron throws the ashtray and it smashes into sharp pieces reaching the clocks hanging on the wall. It stops exactly on three twenty three pm. There`s also a date on it. March of 2015. 

“_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”

\- Aron? Man, you hear us? 

\- He`s breathing but barely. Someone call the fucking ambulance!

\- Done already. 

\- Wake up! 

\- Anyone knows what happened? 

\- I just found him here. I thought he`s here with that girl, gave them some privacy. God knows for how long he`s been in such state.

\- Here`s the water, pour some on his face, maybe it`ll help.

\- Uh uh, still knocked out. He`s got a fever. 

\- Where the fuck are paramedics?..

 

“_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”

 _Funfair? Okay, now it`s getting not just creepy but terrifying. Who brought me here? Kids running around, stalls with air balloons, candy floss and popcorn, some pop music playing…  
I`m a ghostie! At least this doesn`t change. I`m sick of these new places already. That Undead splitting up issue needs to be stopped._

-“I want strawberry one! Jay, pretty please!”  
-“Another one? You gotta watch what you eat. We`ve got promo photoshoot coming. Don`t wanna our lead singer look chubby.”

Aron turns around and chokes on air. 

Danny and Jorel.

Danny and Jorel holding hands.

Danny pouting in attempt to make Jorel buy the damn candy freaking floss.

-“Okay, okay. But I take 20 percent of commission. No objections accepted.”  
Danny hops up and down just like the noisy kids around. Once the desired candy is obtained they sit together on the bench in the shade of an old oak. 

Aron is not sure what astonished him more: the fact that Danny is feeding Jorel now or that they look more than happy grinning like teens in love.  
Jorel the gangsta.  
Lovingly looking at the GUY.  
Not just the guy, but Danny. The newbie Danny. 

_Ewww, gross. Of course, we often make friendly jokes about any of us being a gay or screwing other dudes on weekends, but I`m not mentally prepared to see THIS._

-“Hey, you`ve already eaten your 20 percent, leave something for me too! Jay, come on, don`t be nasty.”  
Jorel flashes million watt smile and kisses Danny, apparently sweet both literally and figuratively. 

Aron turns away in shock, quickly processing the freshly gained information. 

_Jorel is gay. Or at least bi. How come he never told me about that? I`m supposed to be his bff. No secrets hold behind. I don`t remember acting homophobic or in a way that could push Jorel away so that he isn`t into sharing how he feels inside. We`ve kind of always been open books for each other.  
But here`s a bright side. He looks rested, healthy. Full of energy. Just like my Jorel from 2010. I wonder what year it is now. I bet 2015. Aha, exactly. Thanks to people throwing newspapers on the ground. I do hope that flash forwards are just dreams guys and I could laugh at later, when I finally wake up. Not that timetravelling is real, right? Because none of the stuff Matt believes in actually can be a truth, can`t it? I hope so._

Meanwhile, our unbearably sugary couple is done making out and just sit there, their fingers intertwined. Aron, dying to hear some juicy things to mock Jorel and Danny about after coming back to reality, sits by Jorel`s side and lightly shows his friend with elbow, just for the latter not to feel anything at all.  
Most of the things they speak about make no sense to Aron, something related to Australian tour and crazy ideas about music video. 

_Sweet to hear Danny`s band is gaining popularity. Having him around all the time is a bit unnerving. We don`t have such a strong bond like the guys and I do. He`s a nice person, but his place is definitely not in Undead family. We are the major league and he`s an averagely talented naïve guy. But it`s nice he`s progressing nevertheless. Even if it means dating my best friend. He`s not taking him completely away from me or the band, right?_

Sun is shining brightly, just like yesterday? Or a week ago? Aron`s not sure when that huge confrontation with Jorel happened. And if any of it happened at all.  
Somehow Aron feels very calm, joyful even. As if he truly can feel anything now. The atmosphere around is so light, cheerful. Even noisy kids around are not so irritating as usual.  
Love is in the air?  
Aron decides to follow Danny and Jay, maybe they are going to meet other guys? It turns out they are not far from the beach, blue surface of water is looking so tempting in such hot weather. But they turn in different direction and head in general direction of the city center. The sidewalk is melting, bottled water and ice-cream are more valuable than gold, girls wearing crop tops and tiny shorts… Welcome to LA. 

They all stop near the wall fully covered with thick layer of hundreds of posters and ad-leaflets. Upcoming concerts, shows, movie premieres… Someone trying to sell kittens. Free culinary lessons next Friday.  
And here come familiarly styled letters.  
Two words, fifteen letters uniting six best friends. Best buddies since forever managed to reach the unreachable in the City Of Angels.  
Huge poster with six masked guys looks sick. Aron holds his breath in amazement, that impressive the promo of Hollywood Undead`s new album is. 

Unless there`s something wrong.

 _Here is Matt, his curls are unmistakable. It must be Dylan with his face fully hidden behind black cloth. Urgh, new masks make it harder to name the members. Oh, Jorel, and dollar sign on his lips, Johnny in blue and white mask (where are the butterflies?). Good old Charlie, nothing unexpected here._

Aron is searching himself on the picture. 

Golden masked guy looks back at him from the poster. 

Tattoos look familiar.

It can`t be. No way in hell.

Hurricane of emotions destroys everything inside. Aron can swear he`s having a heart attack. Happy laugh reaches his ears through the white noise in his head.  
Aron can deal with Danny being banged by Jorel, being a friend with everyone in the band. But not with being a lead singer in Aron`s own creation.  
_What was Jorel saying about eating too much sweets? He`s just the guy from the street and I`m The Producer. I am the band.  
No. That bastard couldn`t take my place._

But it is unmistakably Danny looking down at Aron from the glossy poster announcing the new album`s pre release show. 

-“Can`t wait for us to perform the new tracks already! I`m so pumped.”  
-“Yeah, me too. Your voice sounds marvelously on them.”  
-“Aww, come on, you cheesy. Don`t make me blush again.”  
-“You know I`m just stating the fact.”  
-“Would it be weird to take a pic in front of our own poster? It looks so cool, to be honest.”  
-“Actually, it would. Stay there, I`ll take a photo.”

Before world around turns black, Aron wonders whether it`s justified enough to kill a person for something that he hasn`t done yet but definitely will.

“_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”

 

_That`s enough. I can`t take it anymore. Not only did that prick take my place, but also acts like without me they are better. Never in hell. He is even incapable of writing the simplest songs for his pitiful band. I`m simply better. Hope the guys understand at least that._  
Why am I even overreacting about these visions? None of that comes alive. Besides, it`s 2010 now back in reality, no one can know for sure what happens in a week, never minding whole five years.  
So calm down, Aron. All I need now – is finding a way to come back home. 

Lights of a hotel room are turned off, breathtaking view to the night city opens from the floor to the ceiling windows. For the first couple of seconds Aron thinks he`s alone, so quiet it`s here. He takes some time to marvel the city lights approximately 30 floors down below.  
Los Angeles.  
The city he grew up in, the city of all of his hopes and dreams. There is no other place on Earth Aron would change LA to. Despite all the ugly flaws of the city, he loves it to bits. 

Perfect moment of peace is destroyed by the door flinging open and furious looking Jorel coming in. Sad Danny follows behind. 

-“They better watch what they say next time. If it weren`t you to stop me, they all would be in a hospital now. Stupid idiots. How many times should they need to be told that the topic is closed. Period!” Jorel growls angrily while Danny simply lies down on the bed, hiding his face in pillow.  
-“Five freaking years and all they wanna know if Deuce is ever coming back or whether I`m worthy enough. You know, I still sometimes consider myself as a temporary substitute, no one takes me seriously… it hurts,” Danny`s voice is muffled and broken.  
-“After three albums I think it is obvious that your place is here. With us. With me,” Jorel flops on the bed near Danny and strokes the singer`s back, “Babe, look at me.”  
Danny huffs and turns to face Jay: “I`ve always wanted to be friends with Aron. Even when he just disappeared with no trace during that tour, I was as scared as you all were, like what if something bad happened? I cared about him like about any of the guys in the crew. Been waiting him to come back so I could say that I`m sorry for building my own career on his foundation… I shouldn’t think about it. Once someone brings that topic again – the hell train of thoughts is back alongside with insecurities. After our first show together one fan said that I`ll never be as good as Deuce and I`ve done nothing to deserve this success. And you know what? He`s right. The first album, first step that brought the band higher that the skies – my contribution to it is zero. Jorel, sorry for spilling it out all over again… I`m just so tired of this and can`t do anything but ignoring.”  
-“Hey, listen to this. You are not even close to Aron. That`s a fact. Because you are not Deuce. You are our Danny. And right from the start you didn`t replace him, okay? It was his wish to leave on the first place, we decided to move on instead of humiliatingly pleading him to return. I think you`d join us anyway sooner or later regardless Aron`s decision. You didn`t write Swan Songs, but you got three full albums now. And what`s most important – don`t you ever dare to feel sorry for what you are doing. It`s your life. We all get hurt from time to time, it`s inevitable. Danny, learn to let the past go. What you do now is really great. You just go to the stage and every time perform like it`s your last show ever. I think it`s the best proof that you really are the Undead.”  
-“No one is as kind to me as you are. Call me a dork but there`s only one thing better than performing on stage alongside with the guys. It`s being with you. I`m happy I can say that honestly.”  
-“And after that they call ME the romantic one,” says Jay involving Danny in a hug. 

_Fucking hell, they are so sweet together, it makes me sick. But why did I even abandon the band? I`d rather die than do that.  
This cursed wonderland… Where`s the escape?_

Aron awkwardly turns around and stumbles, falling right through the window.

 _Whoa, that`s something new. It were only people I could come through, now it`s everything! The world is falling apart!_

With every second he`s closer to the ground, cold wind is whistling almost deafeningly. 

_Shit, this is scary as fuck. And beautiful. But… it`s just a dream. I can`t die, can I?_

 

“_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”

 

Dim light of the trashed tour bus seems too painfully bright for Aron`s eyes. The party must have been a blast, confetti and plastic cups litter the floor. Someone is squeezing his hand almost crushingly. Dull pain throbs in the head like after too long nap. Limbs feel like they are made of cotton. 

-“Hey…”  
It`s Jorel who`s almost broken Aron`s palm with steel-like grip. His face is pale, eyes wide and golden glitters are sparkling on his cheeks.  
Some kind dude is pressing cool wet cloth to Aron`s burning forehead. 

-“He`s awake? Is he okay?” Dylan`s voice is not so cheery as usual.  
Aron slowly cracks his eyes open again, eyelids suddenly became so heavy. Dizziness also adds to the symptoms.

Charlie, Johnny and Matt sit on the bunk the opposite to where Aron lies, Jorel is kneeling beside the bed and Dylan is nervously pacing the bus with the party cap still on his head.  
Wait, if the guys are all here, who`s caringly cooling down the fever?

Aron looks up and meets Danny`s concerned eyes and small smile. He`s wetting another cloth with water from the bottle.  
-“Welcome back,” whispers Danny and gently presses the life saving napkin to Aron`s forehead. 

After the drama is over and paramedics cleared Aron out, prescribing the rest and drinking a lot of water, the guys, interrupting one another, renewed the sequence of events during the last couple of hours.  
Then it hits Aron. There was a girl. She`s been acting really weird, saying she could tell the future. (“Not that I`m gonna be a father next year, right? We`re not even married” adds Johnny.) No one took her seriously. For Aron`s blatant jokes and rude behaviour she kind of punished him, by spraying some sweet smelling perfume at his face. Before Aron dozed off she said something about him failing the challenge of fame and that he`s incapable of controlling his temper. “Someday you`ll have to make a choice, which one – it`s up to you. I can only show you the options…”  
He shares his story about the girl with the guys and they decide of just brush it off. What point in listening to a random psycho chick anyway?

“_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”_”

Walking around small town in Oregon and breathing in the fresh air – isn`t that how happiness look like? Aron`s been thinking a lot lately. Memories of five years back out of the blue pop up in his head.

Turned out the girl was right all that time. She wasn`t lying either. Further life followed the second scenario. He left (Aron had his own reason for that) and the paths of The Producer and Hollywood Undead separated. Maybe it`s stupid to believe in fortune tellers. And maybe the life would be great even if he`d stayed. No one can say for sure.

Thinking about all those years and looking at his life now, Aron smiles at past childish rivalries. He knows he did it right and regrets almost nothing. Subconsciously he made the right choice and everyone`s happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, dudes! Let me know what you think :)  
> This fic will be the last published until late June, there are loads of stuff going irl. But I`m slowly working on multi-chaptered high school HU AU. How cool is that? :) 
> 
> Good luck and see you later! -hugs-


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